Denise Perrier

East Meets West

Chez Perrier Records - Advance Copy

East, St. Petersburg, Russia: Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 9: Denise Perrier, vocals; Andrei Kondakov, piano; Sergey Ostroumov, drums; Gregory Voskoboynikov, double bass; Igor Timofeyev, tenor saxophone; Joel Gonsales, percussion

West: San Francisco, USA: Tracks: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: Denise Perrier, vocals; Tammy Hall, piano; Kash Killion, bass; Bobby Tynes, sax; Jimmy Robinson, drums; Raul Ramirez, percussion

Denise Perrier is the lady we call the premier vocalist of the century and she justifies that title on the offering. This lady is a joy to see and listen to any time, any where. I am so happy that she has made a recording of one of her many trips to Russia. This gives us a chance to hear what the Jazz musicians there can do behind one of the best. The piece "Fool on the Hill" gives Sergi Ostroumov, drums and Joel Gonsales, percussion, a chance to highlight their talent. After a soulful piano introduction by Andrei Kondakov on one of Billie's signature pieces "Hush Now Don't Explain," Gregory Voskoboynik did some soulful bowing on his bass. On "Do You Know What it means to Miss New Orleans" Igor Timofeyev sax playing sounded like he spent his youth in the bayou city, the cat has certainly heard Houston Person.

When this product hits the market, you will certainly want it in your collection.

by Haybert K. Houston

This CD is available at Jazz Now Direct CD Store.

Another View of the same CD

One has been reading about Denise Perrier, and comes to the conclusion that all the other reviewers were grabbing her releases before I could get my hands on one. It figures. Ms. Perrier has a big voice, great command of a lyric and, moreover, a super selection of musicians out of St. Petersburg, Russia and San Francisco, California. The Russian men come on about as Russian as Bill Cosby. Catch the Russians on Besame Mucho (not our all-time favorite number, as such), Timofeyev on tenor wails right and proper. In other words, Jazz is played in anyone's language and it all comes out right. Denise Perrier is a dead ringer for nightclubs and giving the folks out front a really good evening of entertainment. There really is a lot of Jazz to be heard. The lady is wonderful on Don't Explain (Kondakov is totally convincing on piano), Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?, and Day Dream.

You are not likely to regret owning this CD. Good music, good musicians, good singer.

by Lawrence Brazier

This CD is available at Jazz Now Direct CD Store.